Memorial Day Ceremonies Honor Ancestors and Remember Fallen Heroes.

Mayor Brandon Johnson invoked the "soul" of Chicago's ancestors at a Memorial Day ceremony in Grant Park, where wreaths were laid to honor fallen members of each branch of the armed forces. Johnson reflected on the struggles for national unity in the Civil War and the service of Black soldiers who fought for democracy but still lacked the rights of full citizens. Other dignitaries at the ceremony reflected on the complicated history of Maj. Gen. John A. Logan, the Illinois native and Civil War general who helped start the holiday.